Mounting metal on celluloid.



W. H. GORMAN. MOUNTING METAL ON CELLULOID. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1910.

1,008,029. Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

WILLIAM H. GOR-MAN, 0F LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOUNTING METAL O1\T CELLULOID.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GORMAN, a-citizen of the United States, residing at Leominster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mounting Metal on Celluloid, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the mounting of metal pieces of all characters directly upon articles of celluloid, pyroxylin, and similar substances which are readily softened by heat in such a way that they will be firmly and permanently secured in position and will remain so as long as the article itself remains intact. Heretofore it has been necessary to unite the edges of transversely projecting metal pieces with celluloid in various inconvenient and expensive ways and it has usually been found that if any great strain came upon the metal pieces, they would soon become loosened, if

not detached.

It is to overcome these difficulties that this invention is made.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan of a celluloid article with a metal piece attached in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the metallic piece in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on enlarged scale on the line 38 of Fig. 1, showing the metallic piece in side elevation. Fig. at is a sectional view on the line el4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the invention applied in a different form. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same similar to Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view of another modification, and Fig. 8 is a bottom plan thereof.

The invention as shown in the first four figures is applied to a celluloid hair ornament or blank 9, and it will be understood that it can be applied to celluloid and similar articles in any form. As shown the metal piece is applied in the following way. A U-shaped piece of metal 10 having two legs 11, the feet of which are intended to be embedded in, and united to, the celluloid, is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending prongs 12 at the bottoms of said legs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 19, 1910.

These prongs preferably are formed Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 582,635.

so as to extend outwardly from each side, but some of them as 18 can extend inwardly as indicated. The end ones 14 preferably also project outwardly. As they are intended to be embedded in the celluloid the exact shape is not important. The metallic piece having been formed in this way is heated'to a degree of heat between that required to soften the celluloid and that required to burn it, or heat it high enough to cause it to fiow and lose its shape. A degree of heat the longest axis of the metallic piece that is The pres- This permits the prongs to be being applied. Obviously, as the metal sinks into the celluloid some of the celluloid is displaced and necessarily comes toward the surface of the celluloid around and between the prongs on the metallic article. This celluloid is necessarily caused to be deposited on the surface of the prongs and on the metallic article so that the prongs are fully covered. As the metal rapidly cools, the celluloid that has been so displaced, hardens around the metallic insert and holds it securely in position. This is particularly effective when the prongs have spaces between them as shown. It has been found in practice that this results in an extremely firm union of the metal with the celluloid as the metal is left in a matrix within the surface of the celluloid exactly the shape of those parts of the metal that are buried therein, and as the prongs preferably extend outwardly in all directions from the metal piece, they serve as strengthening projections to prevent the rocking of the metallic member in the celluloid and assist in securely holding it in position. However, it has been found that even if the prongs are omitted the metallic piece will be firmly embedded and the celluloid will harden and contract around the metallic member so as to hold it in position, sufficiently for most purposes. In that case, however, the metal usually has to be forced deeper in, and consequently it is not suitable for very thin pieces of celluloid. Also the anchoring of the metal is less efiicient, as no undercut matrix is provided for the metal piece. It will be understood, of course, that the metal piece mounted on the celluloid in this way can be used. for any desired purpose as the pivoting of a pin on a barrette or for holding any other member.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown the same idea as applied to the mounting of a simple flat sheet of metal on a celluloid blank 16. In this case half of the prongs 17 are caused to assume an angular position extending in one direction from the sheet of metal and the rest of them in the other direction. The procedure is the same as that referred to above.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown the invention as applied to the holding of a pin, as for example, in the case of a hat pin. In this case the end of the pin 20 which is to be held in the celluloid body 21 is prepared in a way similar to that described hereinbefore. It is shown as being provided with radiating prongs 22 extending outwardly to some distance in all directions. It may also have a second set of prongs 28 for additional strength. This is heated and forced into the celluloid body in the same way as has been described above.

It will be seen that in all forms the method is an exceedingly simple one which can be practiced very inexpensively, and applied to all forms of celluloid, pyroxylin, pyralin, viscoloid, and similar materials, anywhere when a metallic piece is desired for the attachment of other elements, or for ornamental, or in fact any other purposes. It results in a perfect and permanent joint, and does not injure or disfigure the metal or celluloid.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of the inven; tion I am aware that many other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction shown and described, but

What I do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a celluloid object having extending under the surface thereof the end of a metallic insert provided with outwardly extending spaced projections over which an integral portion of the celluloid extends to hold the metallic insert firmly in position.

2. As an article of manufacture, a blank of celluloid or like material provided with a metallic member projecting therefrom and extending at one end into the body thereof, said metallic member having diverging spaced projections extending outwardly therefrom and projecting into the body of celluloid or the like which extends around said projections to hold the body of metal firmly in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. GORMAN'.

WVitnesses ARTHUR C. MERRIMAN, BLANCI-IE M. Jones.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

